Shop owners hid illegal goods in 'secret' remote-controlled unit
The hard work and determination of officers from Wirral Trading Standards is paying off with further successful court action – this time to obtain a Closure Order against Moreton Convenience Store.
Such was the determination of the business owners to trade illegally at this shop that, during the latest inspection in March 2026, officers even discovered a remote-controlled storage space hidden within a large light-fitting in the shop’s storeroom.
In this concealed space were more than 4,500 illegal cigarettes and 2.3kg of hand-rolling tobacco. During the same inspection, officers found a discarded holdall in the car park used by shop staff containing a further 3,400 contraband cigarettes and more than 3kg of illegal hand-rolling tobacco, matching the items found within the hidden part of the shop.
It was at this time that an initial 48 hour Closure Order was served on the premises and officers began to put together the case that went before court on 1st April 2026 seeking a three-month Closure Order. The case was not contested by the defendants.
It was back in July 2021 that the first inspection led to the seizure – and subsequent voluntary surrender – of 1,220 illegal cigarettes and 150 grams of tobacco from Moreton Convenience Store. At that time the proprietor, Zhana Khalla, received a warning letter.
Further test purchase operations, inspections and seizures followed on a number of occasions as varying quantities of illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vapes were found.
The actions undertaken by Wirral Trading Standards against the premises were also informed by a number of complaints from residents and intelligence reports from partner agencies.
Our Trading Standards service is absolutely committed to tackling anyone involved in these illegal operations, working alongside the police and acting on information and intelligence received.
It is vital that we find and seize these goods to get them off the market and ultimately bring offenders to justice. There are clear links between the illicit trade of cigarettes and wider organised crime and that is before we even consider the potential health risks of people using these untested and illegal products.
What is particularly worrying is when you consider that it is young people who will be more likely to purchase these products as they are being sold cheap, unregulated and without legal checks.
Any business that is selling this type of product, they are causing a significant health risk to the communities they are operating in and the people they sell to. These activities are a public health threat, fundamentally undermining tobacco control strategies and proper, effective methods to help people stop smoking.
Residents have told us that they want action to stop these illegal and harmful tobacco products from being sold in their communities and the Trading Standards team deserves praise and our thanks for their hard work in taking down such a large-scale operation as this.
This case represents the 10th time the Trading Standards service in Wirral has pursued a premises Closure Order since the first one was granted in December 2025. More closure orders in respect of other premises within the borough are in the process of being prepared.
Anyone with information or intelligence about illegal activity can report it anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
